


Thrice Upon a Time

by AXEe



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-11-27 16:14:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18196448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: A very long time ago, The Doctor refused to regenerate.    Twice





	1. Frozen

**Author's Note:**

> A 12/Rose AU of "Twice Upon a Time", can be seen as a direct prequel to my "Lucky Thirteen" series. Enjoy :=)

******

Rose was falling. Falling through dark, inky black clouds. Falling away from the TARDIS that burned high above her, The Doctor fell besides her, tumbling through the sky alongside her.

And as Rose fell, as she tumbled through the air, she remembered...

**A Long Time Ago..**

The TARDIS chimed insistently in the back of Rose's mind as she staggered and stumbled out of the blue box, taking on a frantic, desperate tone as Rose stepped out into a freezing, snow-covered landscape. Her legs suddenly gave out, and she fell to her knees just behind The Doctor, watching in shock as he plunged his glowing, shimmering hands into the snow.

"I will _not_ change!!" he raged.

Rose reached out towards him with a trembling hand, only to jerk back in surprise as he suddenly surged to his feet, spinning around to face her.

"Don't," he stated "don't even try," he shook his head "don't you get it? I'm _tired_ , I'm tried of being someone else, I'm tired of losing people!"

He stepped away from her, throwing his head back.

" _Do you hear me, universe?!?!_ " he shouted at the sky " _I WILL NOT CHANGE!!!_ " he roared.

"No, no, no, I will not change" a new voice suddenly said, its tone almost mocking.

Turning, Rose and The Doctor both squinted through the softly swirling snow as a figure appeared and disappeared.

"Who's there?" Rose called out, pulling herself closer to The Doctor.

"Who is that?" the voice asked in reply as the figure came closer, a man, dressed in a long black overcoat.

"I'm The Doctor" The Doctor replied.

"Oh I don't think so,," the other man countered, chuckling "no, dear me no. You sir may be _a_ doctor, but _I_ am _The_ Doctor," he tugged on the lapels of his overcoat "the....original, you might say" he added.

Rose and The Doctor stared at him in shock.

" _You..._ " The Doctor breathed "how can it be...you?" he demanded.

"Do I know you, sir?" the newcomer asked

The Doctor looked between the newcomer and Rose

"This is the South Pole" he breathed.

"Of course," the other man scoffed "don't you know that?"

"This is where it happened" The Doctor breathed, suddenly energized.

"Where...what happened?" Rose asked hesitantly, looking between the two men, although she had a pretty good idea.

The Doctor looked between her and the newcomer, grinning shyly.

"This is where I--well, we--regenerated," he explained to her. He stepped forward, assessing the other man up close "you're trying to hold it back," he breathed "your face, it's all over the place"

"What do you know of regeneration?" the newcomer asked suspiciously. He looked between the two of them "are you Time Lords?" he asked

"You know who I am," The Doctor declared "you must" he added as his past self stepped past them both to approach the TARDIS

"Have you come to take the ship back?" he asked.

"The ship," The Doctor laughed "oh, look at him, Rose, he still calls it the ship"

"Oh dear!" the newcomer suddenly exclaiming, staring at the TARDIS "what have you done to it?" he demanded.

"Nothing!" The Doctor exclaimed indigently as the other man rounded the box "this isn't right," The Doctor murmurered looking between Rose and his past self "I don't remember trying to not regenerate, not here, not then"

"Well, it seems to have...expanded," the other man exclaimed, gesturing to the TARDIS "the windows" he declared.

"Well, it's all those centuries of being bigger on the inside," The Doctor scoffed "you try holding your tummy in for that long"

"Why aren't you trying to regenerate?" Rose suddenly asked, no longer sure just _who_ she was asking.

The newcomer tugged on his lapels again, puffing his chest out.

"I, madam, have the right and the choice to live and die as myself" he declared.

"Too late," The Doctor proclaimed "it's started. A few minutes ago you were weak as a kitten, now you're not," he nodded to himself "we're in a state of grace the both of us. But it won't last long. Right now, we both have a choice, to go on, or die as we are"

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Rose shook her head "if he doesn't regenerate..." she trailed off, feeling a chill that wasn't from the surroundings go through her "then your future, everything you've ever done, everything you ever will do, the choices you've made..."

"The consequences will be disasterous" The Doctor nodded just as the snowflakes swirling around them suddenly stopped.

"Doctor?" Rose questioned, looking around "the snow"

"Snow?" the First Doctor asked.

"Look at it" The Doctor insisted, reaching out to flick a snowflake away. The snowflake spun away from him only to suddenly resume it's original position.

"Everything's stopped," Rose realized "not just the snow"

"Why?" the First Doctor demanded.

"Maybe it's us," The Doctor shrugged "maybe it's something else. Either way, something has gone _very wrong_ with time" he breathed.

"Excuse me,"

A third figure suddenly staggered across the frozen landscape towards them. A man dressed in an old British Army uniform.

"Sorry," he murmured, looking dazed and disorientated "so sorry," he apologized "I'm so sorry," he looked between the three "but...I don't suppose any of you is a doctor?" he asked hopefully.

The Doctor qurked an eyebrow at the man.

"You trying to be funny?" he asked...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took some doing I'll admit, but I hope you're enjoying :=)


	2. Rock'n'Roll

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter TWO! Enjoy! :=)

******

**Ypres, Belgum  
1914...**

It was cold.

The air bit at his face, the metal of his pistol was like pure ice in his gloved hand as he aimed it at the German solider opposite him in the crater.

"I should like you to know," he began shakily "that I have no desire to kill you," he explained "and that I wouild only do so in self-defese,"

The German let out a shaky breath.

"But," the captain continued "I know that you would also kill me in self-defense," he let out a humorless chuckle "makes me wish you spoke English," he remarked "or that I spoke German,"

The German--a corperal if he understood the rank insignia correctly--looked unbelievably young as his own hand trembled on the grip of his own gun.

"Cold," the capain remarked. He thumbed back the hammer on the revolver "I suppose that it's about to get colder for one of us,"

He tightened his grip on the trigger.

"War is hell, eh?" he remarked.

The air suddenly rippled, a 'wave' of sorts suddenly pulsing through the air, followed by an eriee silence.

Blinking, the captain looked around, noting how his enemy was as still as a statue. Slowly, cautiously, he stood up, peering around the battlefield, finding that everything, everyone, was frozen, like a photograph.

There was a sudden chime from behind him, almost musical, loud in the silence. Turning, the captain frowned at the figure that had suddenly appeared. It appeared almost like a glass figure, but life-sized, it hummed and rang with a crystaline chime.

Curious, the captain slowly approched it. Suddenly the strange apparition turned around, moving with a living fluidity.

Gasping, the captain reared back as a brillient flash of light filled his awareness...

_Lights pulsed, voices murmuring around him._

_"Timeline error," a femmine voice proclaimed urgently "there has been a timeline error"_

_Suddenly, the lights vanished, replaced with an icy chill..._

******

"You trying to be funny?" The Doctor asked as the Captain (if his rank insignia was any indication) staggered towards them, a sudden globe of light flaring into existence in the air behind him.

"She's coming," he gasped out fearfully, hurriedly staggering behind the two Doctors "she's coming" he repeated as Rose and The Doctors cauiously stepped forwards towards the light.

"Not Human I should think," the First Doctor remarked "identify your species and planet of origin and your intentions," he proclaimed "this is Earth, a Level Five civilization"

"And it is protected" The Doctor added.

"It's what?"

The light suddenly winked out.

"O...K," Rose said slowly "that usually doesn't work" she noted.

"Er, what do you mean? Protected?" the First Doctor asked

"Oh, it is early days, isn't it?" The Doctor chuckled as the First Doctor turned to the Captain.

"For your own safety, might I suggest that you board my ship?" he suggested.

"Ship?" the Captain asked.

"He means get inside the box" The Doctor pointed at the TARDIS.

"Yes," the First Doctor nodded as he placed his key into the lock "a bit snug from this angle," he chuckled as he pushed the doors open "but, you might be surpris--,"

He stopped mid-sentence as he looked around the interior.

"My TARDIS," he exclaimed "look what's happened to my TARDIS"

"This is impossible" the Captain exclaimed as Rose ushered him inside.

"Have I been burgled?" the First Doctor wondered.

"But...it, it...it's..." the Captain stammered.

"Hidious!" the First Doctor declared.

"It's bigger on the inside!" the Captain exclaimed.

"You know, I thought it might be," The Doctor remarked as he shut the doors "glad its not just me" he added.

"What... _is_ all this?" the Captain wondered as he slowly took in the room.

"This is--or rather _ought to be_ \--my TARDIS, sir" the First Doctor explained.

"Technically...," The Doctor swung the scanner screen over " _that_ is your TARDIS," he tapped the screen "it's about sevenity feet _that_ way," he pointed. He smirked at Rose "always remember where you parked," he added "it's going to come up a lot"

"Am I going mad?" the Captain wondered "is this maddness?"

"Maddness?" The Doctor asked "well let's see, you're a World War I British Army Captain at the South Pole being persued by aliens through frozen time," he grinned "madness was never this good"

"World War...I?" the Captain asked hesitently.

"Well, yes, judiging by the unform" The Doctor nodded towards his uniform.

"Yes, but," the Captain nodded "I just...what do you mean... _one_?" he asked uncertainly.

A sudden unease went through the room.

"Oh. Sorry," The Doctor shrugged "spoilers"

"Enough of this," the First Doctor declared "who are you?"

"You know who I am," The Doctor answered "you've known who I am from the moment you saw me," he proclaimed "I'd say stop being an idiot," he shrugged "but...I know what's coming"

"I assure you, sir," the First Doctor began as he took off his hat and cloak "I have absolutely no idea who you are" he declared as he dropped the clothing into The Doctor's arms.

"I do" Rose held up a hand. She took The Doctor's hand and held it up, a golden glow pulsing in the center of his palm.

The First Doctor's eyes widened, bugging out of his head almost-comically.

"You...," he began "are _me_?"

"Yes" The Doctor nodded

"Do I...become you?" the First Doctor asked.

"Well, there are a few false starts," The Doctor shrugged "but you get there in the end"

"But, I...," the First Doctor began "well, that is, I assumed..."

"What?" The Doctor asked impatiently, looking between his past self and Rose in clear confusion.

"Well, that I'd get... _younger_ " the First Doctor finally admitted.

"I _am_ younger!!"

The bizzare argument was stopped at a quiet whimper.

Turning, the threesome were confronted by the sight of the Captain now sitting on the stairs leading up to the second level, his head buried in his hands.

"Oh dear," the First Doctor exclaimed "oh, you're in shock," he turned to Rose and The Doctor "uh, brandy, get him some brandy. Do you have any? I had some...somewhere"

"I'll get it" Rose announced, already halfway towards the storage unit.

"Who are you people?" the Captain asked, looking between the group.

"I am The Doctor," the First Doctor introduced himself, tugging on his lapels as Rose came back with the decanter of brandy, absently handing it to The Doctor "and this is my--"

"It's complicated, actually," Rose interjected, gesturing towards The Doctor "see, he's also--"

"My nurse" the First Doctor explained.

"What?" Rose and The Doctor both asked.

"I realize that seems a little improbable" the First Doctor continued.

"Yes" The Doctor nodded.

"Because he's a man," the First Doctor continued on "older gentlemen, like woman, can still be of use"

"What?" The Doctor squaked.

"Of use?" Rose echoed.

"Look, you...you can't say things like that" The Doctor insisted.

"Can't I?" the First Doctor asked, looking between them "says whom?"

"Just about everyone you're ever going to meet for the rest of your life," The Doctor explained. He held out the decanter "here"

Taking the decanter, the First Doctor peered at it's contents, noting how low it was. Looking up, he narrowed his eyes at The Doctor.

"Have you...had some of this?" he asked.

"Well, you know, I may have snuck _a_ glass over the last fifteen hundred years or so," The Doctor objected "it's been rock'n'roll" he dismissed as the First Doctor poured the Captain a glass before turning back to Rose and The Doctor.

"I don't understand any of this" he exclaimed.

"Yes, you do," The Doctor sighed, exasperated " _I_ am your future self" he insisted.

"Are you?" the First Doctor echoed "are you indeed? Then I suppose that _this_ is meant to be my TARDIS?" he asked, gesturing to the room at large.

" _Our_ TARDIS," The Doctor sighed "and I saw that," he pointed at Rose accusingly "no laughing, Tyler" he ordered.

"What's wrong with the lights?" the First Doctor asked, nodding up at the ceiling.

"They're supposed to be like that" The Doctor explained.

"Why?"

"It's...atmospheric" The Doctor shrugged.

"Atmospheric?" his past self echoed in disbelief "this is the flight deck of the most advanced space-time ship in the known universe," he exclaimed "not a restaurant for the French," he turned, suddenly spotting something "oh dear" he exclaimed as he spotted the electric guitar propped up against the railing.

"Oh, Rose, look," The Doctor exclaimed "look what someone's _accidently_ left on the TARDIS"

"Accidently?" Rose snorted "oh no, you're on own here"

"Hmm," the First Doctor peered at the strings intently "seems to have been played quite recently," he noted "it's the only thing in here that's been dusted," he added "obviously, Polly isn't around anymore, and your young lady here clearly isn't much of a cleaner"

As Rose gapped at him, The Doctor rushed forwards.

"Please, please," he pleaded " _please_...stop saying things like that"

A sudden, violent jolt cut off any retort that would have been made. Staggering to keep his balance, The Doctor hurried to the doors, opening them and peering outside, seeing the ground rapidly receding as a large conical ship pulled the TARDIS up.

Shutting the door, The Doctor turned, pointing at Rose.

"Take off!" he ordered "anywhere"

Turning to the controls, Rose frantically worked them to no effect.

"Something's blocking the command path to the engines" she exclaimed as the TARDIS shuddered again.

" _Exit your capsule,_ " a female voice suddenly ordered from outside " _the Chamber of the Dead awaits you_ "

"Rose and I will fix the engines," The Doctor explained. He pointed at his past self "you keep her talking"


	3. Testimony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter THREE! Now before we began, a little note, I'd like to apologize for including the First Doctor's sexist lines, in truth I don't know why they're there to began with, especially when you look back at the original episodes William Hartnell's Doctor is rather respectful to his female companions. Anyway, as for why I kept is mostly because at the time I couldn't find a way around them. Speaking as a life-long feminist I'll admit to feeling a little uncomfortable for keeping them, but rest assured no more sexist lines will be uttered by the First Doctor in this fic.
> 
> The Captain on the hand is fair game :=)

******

Stepping out of the TARDIS, the First Doctor looked around, finding himself in a large Gothic chamber. The room gave the impression of being cylindrical in shape, with strange archways lineing the walls, shadowed figures moving within them.

In the center of the room, a wide, grand starcase led up to a platform of some kind, backlit by a spherical light.

" _Look around you,_ " the same female voice instructed " _you are known to all here. For you are the Doctor of War_ "

"The Doctor, yes," he nodded "but the Doctor of War? Never, ma'am, never" he declared as the TARDIS doors creaked open behind him, Rose cautiously stepping out, coming to stand besides him.

" _We offer an exchange,_ " the voice announced " _return to us the Human in your TARDIS and you will be allowed to leave_ "

"Just who are 'we'?" Rose called out, pulling her sonic screwdriver out and scanning the room, finding a series of contradicting readings that she couldn't make heads nor tails of.

"That device," the First Doctor nodded to the screwdriver "what is that?"

"Sonic screwdriver" Rose answered distractedly.

"A what? An...audio screwdriver?"

Scowling at the device, Rose put it away and turned around, craning her head back to try and see the ceiling, only to find that the chamber streached far above them, farther than she could see.

"Chamber of the Dead," she mused, turning towards the staircase "let's see who's in charge" she murmured as she and the First Doctor slowly climbed the stairs, finding some kind of tall, flat circut board of sorts and a low stone chair.

Frowning, the First Doctor held up a monocule and peered at the circutry.

"Time travel technology, eh obviously?" he mused

"From the far future" Rose nodded.

"Hmm, quite," the First Doctor nodded as he turned to her, frowning at the sight of the sunglasses on her face.

"Sunglasses?" he asked.

"They're sonic" Rose grinned.

"Indoors?" the Time Lord insisted as a musical chime sounded and a transparent figure appeared in the chair.

Rounding it, Rose and the First Doctor both frowned at the strange apperatition.

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

" _We are what awaits at the end of every life,_ " the figure replied " _as each life ends, we appear. We take from you what we need and then return you to your appointed time and place of your death,_ " it explained " _we are...Testimony_ "

"I don't understand," Rose shook her head "you travel through time from the far future, and you...what? Harvest something from people?"

" _Yes_ "

"What's that have to do with a World War I Captain landing at the South Pole in the wrong decade?" the First Doctor asked.

" _We were attempting to return him to the time and place of his death,_ " the glass woman explained " _a timeline error resulted in him being ejected into the wrong time zone. Now he must be returned to the appointed time of his death as history demands_ "

Frowning, the First Doctor leaned in, examining the figure closely.

"Who _were_ you?" he asked.

"What makes you say that?" Rose wondered.

"Her face," he nodded towards the glass woman's face "see? Very slightly asymmetrical," he explained "if she was a computer-generated simulation or interface--"

"...it wouldn't do that," Rose nodded "right"

"So, who's been stealing the faces of the dead?" The Doctor asked as he climbed up the stairs behind them.

" _The human must be returned to us_ " the Glass Woman insisted.

"And if we refuse?" The Doctor asked.

" _You cannot_ " was the reply.

"Uh, excuse me, Doctors?"

The group turned, all three of them scowling as the Captain cautiously stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Uh, it seems to me that your freedoms are being offered in exchange for my life," he continued "well, as it stands, I think that my number is pretty much up anyway. Might as well make it count for something"

"No, absolutly not," Rose shook her head, looking at the two Doctors pleadingly "that is not happening" she exclaimed.

"Tell me what to do then" The Doctor requested.

Rose smirked.

"Do what you always do" she replied.

Slowly, a smirk crossed his face, and suddenly animated, he turned around to face the Glass Woman.

"Right, here's what's going to happen," he announced "first I'm going to escape, and I'm taking the Captian with me"

" _Escape is not possible_ " the glass woman declared.

"Why are you announcing your intentions?" the First Doctor demanded as he and Rose hurriedly followed The Doctor down the stairs "can't you stop boasting for a moment?"

"Mr. Pastry too," The Doctor added as they reached the bottom of the stairs "I could do with a laugh"

" _Escape is not possible_ " the glass woman repeated.

"It _is_ possible, and it _is_ happening," The Doctor explaiend "second, I'm going to find out just who you are and what you're doing, and if I don't like it, then Rose and I are going stop you" he declared.

"Who _the hell_ do you think you are?" the First Doctor demanded.

"The Doctor and Rose Tyler" the other Time Lord grinned.

" _I_ am The Doctor," the First Doctor proclaimed "who either of you are, I cannot begin to imagine"

" _Then let us show you, Doctor,_ " the Glass Woman announced, as the archways lining the walls begining to light up in sequence.

" _See who you will become_ " the Glass Woman continued as shimmering globes of ligtht suddenly surged from each arch to orbit around the group, flickering images gleaming inside each globe as a cacophony of voices filled the once-silent room.

"No, no, no, that's not a good idea" The Doctor exclaimed.

" _The Doctor and Rose Tyler have walked through blood throughout all time and space,_ " the Glass Woman began as the clamore of voices grew to an almost-deafening pitch. Despite that, the Glass Woman's voice could still be heard clearly.

" _They are known by many names,_ " she continued " _the Oncoming Storm. The Bad Wolf. The Imps of the Pandorica. The Beasts of Trenzelore. The Undying Witch. The Destroyer of Skaro. The Butcher of Skull Moon. The Howling Queen. The Wrath of Torchwood. The Last Trees of Garsenon. They are the Singers of War_ "

Then, just as suddenly as it happened, the silence returned.

The First Doctor looked between Rose and The Doctor, shocked.

"Wha-what was that?" he breathed.

"Well, to be fair, they cut out all the jokes" The Doctor shrugged.

"Right!" Rose pulled her sonic out, aiming it at the floor under the TARDIS, a circular hatch wheeling open "everyone, come on!" she cried. Taking a step back, she sprinted forward, leaping out to tightly grab onto the chains holding the TARDIS suspended, the others following suit.

"Hang on!" The Doctor cried as he aimed his sonic at the chains. The deceptively primative-looking claw and motorized drum springing to life, the TARDIS rapidly descending into the frozen air below.

" _They are not escaping!_ " the Glass Woman proclaimed.

A shower of sparks suddenly burst from the mortorized drum, stopping it, the TARDIS jerking to a stop, nearly dislodging the four clinging to the chains.

Still dangling above the TARDIS, Rose and The Doctor smirked at each other.

"Going down!" Rose cried as they both slid down the chain to clumsly land atop the TARDIS, the others following.

"Everyone jump!" The Doctor cried, the four of them leaping off the TARDIS to land in the fluffy white snow below.

"OK, well, I'm out of ideas" Rose muttered as she awkwardly got to her feet.

"Well you should be glad that there's two of me now," The Doctor grinned. He turned to his past self "over to you, Mary Berry"

The First Doctor held up a small key.

"Come on" he invited, hurrying across the snows towards a familar blue box.

The Doctor grinned at Rose.

"Two Doctors..."

"...two TARDIS's," Rose grinned back as they reached the box, the both of them ushering the Captain inside after the First Doctor "hang on," Rose paused "the windows are different" she noted.

"Just get inside," The Doctor urged, all but shoving her inside, but he hung back for a second, frowning as he noticed that the windows were indeed different.

"Take off, deep space," he ordered as he rushed inside "anywhere" he addded as the First Doctor pulled the main lever, the TARDIS leaping into life, bobbing and weaving like a ship at sea as it took off.

"I say, these police boxes," the Captain remarked "they're ever so good aren't they?" he chuckled.

"The navigation system doesn't function properly," the First Doctor explained as the TARDIS continued rocking from side-to-side "I'm unable to program our flight or destination with any accuracy"

"I got it" Rose reach out, gently adjusting the controls, the rocking immediately evening out to a gentle swaying.

"Right," The Doctor took the sonic sunglasses from Rose and put them on, the scanner hanging from the ceiling flickering to life, an image of the Glass Woman appearing.

"See? I was right," The Doctor nodded "asymmetrical facial features"

"I said that" the First Doctor objected.

"Same difference," The Doctor dismissed, quickly putting the sonic sunglasses on his past self's face "I'm trying to match her face with the information in the TARDIS database," he continued "problem is there's hardly anything in it yet," he added "we need something bigger. Possibly the Matrix on Gallifrey,"

He paused, frowning.

"No," he realized "we need something bigger than the Matrix" he turned to the controls, adjusting them.

"Er, why am I wearing these?" the First Doctor asked, gesturing towards the sonic sunglasses still on his face.

"Because I _love_ it," The Doctor grinned " _never_ take those off" he declared as the sunglasses chirped.

"What's 'browser history'?" the First Doctor asked.

Cringing, The Doctor quickly plucked them off.

"I'm finding I'm lagging behind a tiny bit again," the Captain suddenly stammered out "so, basically, we're trying to...track the glass lady, yes?"

"Basically" Rose nodded.

"Quite a remarkable creature," the Captain commented "rather striking actually"

"Sure," Rose shrugged "if you like women made of glass"

"Well, aren't all women made of glass in a way?" the Captain chuckled.

The First Doctor puffed out his chest, scowling.

"Now see here, sir," he declared "I'll not have that sort of talk aboard my ship," he gestured towards Rose "need I remind you that it was this young woman who helped us escape?" he added.

"Thank you" Rose sighed.

The Captain seemed chastised.

"I hope it doesn't upest you, young lady," he began "but I have had some...experience with the fairer sex" he chuckled.

"Yeah?" Rose asked "me too" she grinned.

The Captain gapped, open-mouthed, at her.

"Good...lord" he breathed.

Anything further that would have been said was abandoned as the TARDIS shuddered and landed.

"We're here," The Doctor announced, pulling a lever on the console, the doors opening, revealing the burning ruins of a city.

"But...you piloted the ship perfectly," the First Doctor exclaimed "we are at the exact center of the universe"

"The weapons forges of Villengard," The Doctor explained "once the terror of the seven galaxies," he added "now home to one of the most comprehensive databases of all life in the entire universe," he turned to Rose "there's just one tiny problem"

"Which is...?" Rose asked.

"It wants to kill me" he answered.

Rose sighed.

"Of course it does" she muttered...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone else find it odd that the hyper-advanced Testimony uses a mechanical claw and chains to capture the TARDIS? I did :=)


	4. Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter FOUR! Enjoy! :=)

******

The air was dusty and smelled of burning metal. Ash slowly drifted through the air and littered the ground, rustling underfoot as Rose and the three men slowly stepped out of the TARDIS. Off in the distance, explosions lit up the darkened landscape, creating vast plumes of smoke that blocked out what little light managed to pierce the already-heavy cloud cover.

"This is nice" Rose commented sarcastically.

"Beggers can't be chosers" The Doctor reminded her.

"I say," the Captain called out "I think there's something moving over here" he gestured towards the shadows with his pistol.

"Be careful" Rose warned.

"It's probably just rats," the Captain dismissed "I'm quite used to rats" he explained. But as he turned back something that was decidedly _not_ a rat suddenly came flying out of the shadows to wrap itself around his face and head.

His terrified scream muffled by the creature's body, he fell back, kicking and thrashing on the ground as the Doctors and Rose rushed towards him, both Rose and The Doctor aiming their sonics at the creature, which, with a hissing sound, released the Captian and scurryed off into the distance.

Gasping for breath, the Captain surged upright.

"Easy, deep breaths my boy," the First Doctor urged as the Captain sucked in desperate gulps of air "that creature," the First Doctor nodded off to where the creature had disappeared to "it looked familiar"

"Old friends of ours," The Doctor answered "they've mutated a bit"

Rose took a step forward, peering over a half-demolished wall, seeing dozens more of the same creatures frantically scurrying about.

Frowning, she looked up at The Doctor as he came over to stand besides her.

"So, what do we do?" she whispered.

"Wait," he advised "they'll quiet down in a moment"

"Then what?" Rose pressed "do we...ask them questions? What?"

" _We_ don't do anything" The Doctor replied.

"Wha...?"

Gripping her arm, he led her back to the TARDIS, even as she stammered and protested. Wrenching her arm free from his grip, she glowered at him.

"You're lying" she accused.

"No," he stated "in case you didn't notice, but this isn't exactly a happy, safe place, Rose," he insisted "besides," he added "I need someone to keep an eye on the Captain and Mr. Pastry"

"No, you're trying to push me away," she accused "because you're afraid that I'll convince you to regenerate" she gave him a hard shove in the chest "you bloody... _arse_!!" she exclaimed, giving him another shove.

At that moment, the TARDIS door swung open, the First Doctor leaned out.

"Young lady," he began "if I hear anymore language like that from you, you're in for a jolly good smacked bottom" he warned.

Rose and The Doctor gapped at each other as the TARDIS door swung shut again, a look that could only be described as 'abject horror' crossing The Doctor's face as he turned back to Rose.

"Can we just pretend that didn't happen?" he pleaded.

"Oh no," Rose shook her head "we're going to talk about that," she insisted. Slowly, a grin spread across her face, and she started to laugh "I hope that we spend _years_ laughing about it!"

The Doctor smiled in return, reaching out to cup her cheek.

"Rose Tyler," he mused "the Valiant Child," he chuckled. He stepped back "keep an eye on those two?"

Rose smiled and nodded.

"Always" she promised...


	5. Maybe There's Just a Bloke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter FIVE! Enjoy! :=)
> 
> (Now sexist-free)

******

Stepping back into the TARDIS, Rose smiled as the timeship hummed softly in the back of her head, She still recognized Rose. Smiling, Rose reached out, giving the wall a gentle affectionite pat.

Meanwhile, a few feet away, the First Doctor opened the storage compartment and pulled out a full decanter of brandy.

"Hmm, so _that's_ where it went," he mused. Grabbing the glasses, he poured one for himself before offering the other glass to Rose.

"Er, would you care for a glass, my dear?" he offered.

"Sure," Rose nodded, taking the offered glass and taking a sip of the brandy, feeling the warmth of it as it went down. Glancing over at the Captain, she saw that he had apparently dozed off for the moment, the stress of everything having finally gotten to him.

Now more or less alone with the Time Lord, Rose leaned against the console.

"So, you're like...the original," she began "the one who stole a TARDIS"

" 'Stole?' No. Borrowed, my dear, borrowed," he corrected " _'stole'_ would imply the taking of something with no intent to one day return it"

"Right," Rose chuckled "so...why'd you do it?" she wondered.

"I'm sure that your Doctor has told the tale" he dismissed.

"I don't think he even remembers," Rose scoffed as she took another sip of her brandy. She pushed off the console, stepping towards him.

"So..?" she invited "why'd you do it?"

The First Doctor frowned, absently tapping his chin in thought.

"I suppose I left to try and answer a fundamental question of the universe," he began. At Rose's encourging nod, he continued "why does good triumph over evil?" he held out both his hands, as if weighing something in each hand.

"By simple logic, 'good' is not a viable strategy," he continued "it requires...compassion, self-sacrifice, loyalty...love. So, why is it that good invariably triumphs over evil?"

"Maybe there's just...a bloke" Rose suggested.

"Er, wha...a bloke?"

"Yeah," Rose nodded "maybe there's just...a bloke and a girl, both of them tearing about the universe, fixing things that go wrong" she explained.

"Well, that would be a nice story, now wouldn't it?" the First Doctor chuckled.

"That'd be one of the _best_ stories" Rose chuckled.

"Unfortunately, real life is not a fairytale," he reminded her "and rarely turns out like one"

"Maybe, but maybe that's why you're there" she countered.

He chuckled.

"That would imply the existence of something akin to a higher power or destiny," he shrugged "and I, for one, do not believe in such things" he dismissed.

"I do," Rose countered "because I'm looking right at him," she grinned. Stepping forward into his personal space, she reached out, putting her hands on his shoulders " _you_ are... _amazing_ , Doctor," she breathed, pulling him into a hug " _never_ forget that" she breathed.

Clearly uncomfortable, he awkwardly returned the hug, before pulling back.

"Now then, enough of me," he dismissed "tell me of yourself, my dear. I presume that you've traveled with...him for quite some time"

"I've been traveling with him as long as I can remember" Rose replied.

His eyebrows rose as he realized the implications of her statement.

"So, you mean to say that you...stayed?" he asked carefully "even after the...rejuvination?"

"Yep," Rose nodded "it was a little...surprising at first," she added "but, I've gotten used to it," she shrugged. She glanced over her shoulder at where the Captain was starting to stir.

"I can watch him," she said. She smirked at his confused expression "I know you, you're just dying with curiosity to see what's out there," she nodded towards the doors "go," she encouraged "I'll keep an eye on him"

A faint blush tainting his features at being found out, he nodded as he slipped his cloak on.

"Now then, I don't want to have to repeat myself about your language, Miss. Tyler" he warned.

"I don't think _anyone_ wants that," Rose chuckled as he stepped out, the doors quietly whirring shut behind him, the Captain waking just as they shut. Jerking slightly, he gasped as he saw Rose.

"Easy," she soothed "it's all right"

"Oh," he ran a tired hand over his face "I thought...that is, I'd _hoped_ that I was..." he trailed off with an embarrassed chuckle "obviously not, eh?"

"Afraid not," Rose shrugged "more brandy?" she offered.

"Yes, please" he nodded.

As she reached for the decanter, she paused, having the strong sensation that she was being watched...


	6. Impossible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SIX! Enjoy! :=)

******

The ash rustled underfoot as The Doctor stumbled slightly, turning at footsteps behind him.

"Oh, it's you" he muttered as the First Doctor shadowded him.

"These creatures," the First Doctor nodded towards the creatures scurrying away from them "what are they?"

"Like I said, they're old friends of ours," The Doctor replied "they've just...come out of their shells" he explained. Wincing, he stopped, leaning against a collapsed pillar.

"You all right?"

"Fine," he panted out, awkwardly straightening up "just...don't tell Rose, eh? She'll never let me hear the end of it"

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Well," The Doctor eased himself down on the same pillar "I died a few hours ago and refused to regenerate. It catches up with you, it's like a big lunch,"

He glanced up at his past self.

"Why did you?" he asked "I don't remember this"

"Fear," the First Doctor answered as he sat down besides him "I'm afraid," he admitted "terribly so. I don't, er, don't admit that to anyone"

"Well, technically, you still haven't" The Doctor reminded him.

"Why did you?"

The Doctor frowned, his expression pensive.

"I'm tired," he admitted "tired of changing, tired of losing people," he explained "I even lost Rose"

"Lost her? How so?"

"She was...trapped," he explained carefuly "she found her way back, obviously. But...for a while, a few hundred years, she was...gone"

"What would she do...do you think...if you refused to regenerate?" the First Doctor wondered.

"I don't know," he admitted "i suppose she might just take the TARDIS herself, go gallivanting around the universe, saving the day," he smirked "Rose Tyler...Defender of the Universe," he mused "has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Somehow, I doubt that she would be so willing to let you go so easily"

"No," he agreed "she wouldn't"

"She cares for you" the First Doctor noted.

"Oh yes," he nodded "she crossed between universes to find me again. Imagine that, a shop girl from 21st century London, jumping from parallel world to parallel world all to find a madman with a box"

"Sounds remarkably like a fairytale"

"Yes, it does, doesn't it," he nodded "but, as you yourself know, real life isn't like a fairytale"

"She seems to think quite diffrently," the First Doctor idly tapped his chin "quite a remarkable young woman" he mused.

"Young," The Doctor scoffed "she's about as old are you now. Except she's kept her looks. And its my fault"

"How so?"

"Oh...you know, the usual," The Doctor sighed "you meet a girl, you show her the universe, and then she gets it into her head to mess around with some Time Lord biology and becomes a Time Lord-Human hybrid"

"Impossible!" the First Doctor scoffed.

"Impossible...," The Doctor breathed "Rose Tyler's middle name" he chuckled.

An explosive bolt of blue light suddenly rained down just feet from the two men. Bolting to their feet, they both ran for cover as a rain of weapons' fire rained down on them from a nearby tower.

"Must be my friend!" The Doctor called out as they both bobbed and weaved.

"Why do you call it your friend?!"

"He's got a great big gun!" The Doctor pointed out "would you rather I insult him?!"

Breaking away from his cover, he stepped out into the spotlight.

"Scan me," he called as the weapons fire continued "go on. Just scan me!"

The weapons fire suddenly stopped, a pulsing beam of light passing over him.

"See?" he held out his arms "I'm dying. Now...wouldn't you like to see that up close?"

A door at the base of the tower slowly creaked open...

******

The Captain's hand trembled as he held his brandy. Holding out his other hand, he watched as it too trembled.

"Strange," he mused "I wasn't afraid in the crater"

"No?" Rose asked.

He chuckled.

"Well...that's not entirely true," he admitted "but, one gathers one's courage and gets on with one's duty"

"Keep calm and carry on" Rose recalled.

"In a way, yes, I suppose so," he nodded "big shock to everyone back in Cromer, of course" he added.

"You've got family?" Rose asked, inwardly cringing.

"My wife will miss me of course," he nodded "but she's a strong, solid woman, remarkably solid. And my boys...," he trailed off for a moment "well...sons are suppose to move on from their fathers, it's the proper way," he smirked "the thing is, I'd thought I'd been saved," he admitted "something like a miracle almost. Now, I'm think they'll put me back, back in that crater. Back in time to die,"

He took a light sip of brandy.

"The thing is...I'm not ready anymore," he admitted "I've lost the nerve," he smirked humorlessly and shook his head "you must think I'm the most cowardly person in all existence"

"No," Rose shook her head "I think you're very, _very_ human," she replied "see," she began "I've...seen a lot of the universe, seen people at their best, at their worst, and you Captain, you're the best"

She reached for the decanter again, suddenly dropping it in shock as a transparent, glass figure appeared before her...


	7. Not Everything is Evil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter SEVEN! Enjoy! :=)

******

The Doctor paused, turning back to his past self.

"All right, you wait here" he instructed.

"I'll not hear of it"

"Look, that thing in there won't pass up the chance to kill me twice, the paradox that could cause could rip a hole in the universe," he shrugged "and, well, you know how hard it is trying to put it all back together again. Makes Humpty Dumpty sound downright fun"

The First Doctor sighed rather melodramatically.

"Oh...if you insist"

******

Leaving his past self outside, The Doctor slowly and carefully ascended the narrow steps of the tower.

"You know, you're quite a legend these days," he called out "all sorts of stories about you. Not many people believe them. Most people don't believe them," he added, sidestepping a large pile of rubble, edging along the wall when the steps narrowed too much to cross safely.

"How you turned against your kind like that," he added as he neared a doorway of sorts "because...how could there ever be any such thing...,"

He stepped around the doorway.

"...as a good Dalek" he breathed.

The lone creature in the room, its casing scarred and pitted, swivled its head to look at him, eyestalk narrowing as it saw him.

" _ **I am not a good Dah-lek,**_ " it croaked out " _ **YOU are a good Dah-lek!!**_ "

Raising its weapon, it fired, the bright bolt of blue energy striking the way just scant inches away from The Doctor.

Ducking behind the wall, he took a breath.

"Rusty," he tried "just think about much fun it'll be to see me die," he reminded the Dalek "now, unless, you'd rather I'd pop off and do it somewhere you can't see, you're going to have to _stop_ shooting at me"

There was a pause.

" _ **I agree to your terms**_ " the Dalek known as 'Rusty' replied.

"I'm going to need some proof" The Doctor pushed.

In answer, there was a spark and a pop, followed by the sound of metal scrapping across stone. Looking down, he watched as the Dalek's gunstalk slid across the floor to stop by his feet.

"You know," he began as he cautiously rounded the corner again "you're the first Dalek who's ever gotten naked for me," he chuckled as he came to a stop in front of the aberation.

"Hello, Rusty," he grinned "it's been a long time," he quipped, absently stuffing his hands in his tattered pockets "remember the good old days? When I got miniaturized and climbed around inside you?"

" _ **You taught me to hate the Dah-leks**_ " Rusty stated.

"Millions of years ago," The Doctor continued "what have you been up to since then?"

" _ **Destroy-ing Dah-leks**_ "

"Yes," he nodded "killing all the ones who come here to murder you, I know, I saw the mess outside. Ever think of hiring a maid? Getting awfuly messy out there"

" _ **Wh-y are you here?**_ "

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere," he slowly rounded the Dalek "as a Dalek, you're part of the Dalek hive mine, like all Daleks. I need to access it"

" _ **Wh-y would I help you?**_

"Because," he answered, leaning into Rusty's space "helping me, in anyway, _hurts_ the Daleks"

For a moment, the Dalek was silent, motionless aside from a few twiches of its eyestalk.

" _ **State your request**_ "

******

Meanwhile, the glass figure calmly stepped out of the TARDIS. Looking around for a moment, it orientated itself before setting off towards the very same tower that The Doctor was in...

******

"Professor Helen Clay, University of New Earth, Year five billion and twelve," The Doctor read as the information scrolled down the holographic screen, the image of the woman's face was identical to that of the Glass Woman.

"There's footage," he noticed "can you run it?"

With a slight crackle of static, the footage began playing.

" _The Testimony Foundation combines the latest in time travel technology with memory extraction techniques,_ " Professor Helen Clay began " _using these techniques, a person can be tempoarily removed from their timstream, their memories copied, and their living selves returned to the exact point of their disolution, without pain, distress, or recall of the process. Channeled through our glass avatars, the dead_ can _speak again, they can share their knowledge and experiences with future generations. This is heaven on New Earth, Finally, the dead can live again_ "

"Oh," The Doctor couldn't help the little surprised sound that came out of his mouth "it's not an evil plan," he realized "I almost don't know what to do when it isn't an evil plan," he frowned as he realized that footage had stopped "why'd you stop it? Rusty?"

Frowning, he turned, waving his hand in front of the Dalek's eyestalk with no response.

"He didn't stop it,"

Turning, he jumped slightly as the First Doctor cautiously entered the room "they've frozen time again" he explained.

"Who has?"

In answer, the Glass Woman, the glass avatar of Helen Clay herself, stepped through the holographic screen, its form humming and ringing softly.

Slowly, a figure passed behind it, their form distorted yet still clearly visible through the glass avatar.

"Not everything's an evil plan, Doctor," Rose said softly as she rounded the glass avatar "you're not the only one who's kind" she added.

He turned, scowling at the glass avatar.

"What have you done to her?" he demanded.

"They didn't 'do' anything to me," Rose sighed "just talked, explained who they really are," she sighed "so," she began "what do we do now? We can't just leave things the way they are"

The glass avatar turned to look at her.

" _The timeline error must be corrected_ " it stated.

The Doctor sighed heavily.

"A request then," he began "this was all our fault"

"How so?" the First Doctor scoffed.

"...let us take him back" The Doctor finished.

The glass avatar nodded slowly.

" _Accepted_ "

******

"What did you mean?" the First Doctor asked from his own TARDIS as the two blue boxes left Villengard "how was this our fault?"

"The two of us tried to die twice in the same lifetime," The Doctor explained from his own TARDIS, Rose by his side "we tried to die twice in the same point in space and time," he added "we created a whirlpool in time that drew the Captain to land at our feet" he explained.

" _But what's so important about him?_ " the First Doctor asked.

"Everybody's important to someone," Rose answered softly. She turned to look over at the Captain, moving away from the console to softly walk over to him "you all right?" she asked.

"Yes. Fine," he answered "just...I told the wife I'd be home for Christmas"

Grimacing, Rose quickly turned back around, leaning against the console, her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the console tightly. Looking up, she watched in some confusion as The Doctor suddenly began working the controls intently...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think we're nearing the end here :=)


	8. Everyone Was Just Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update! Chapter EIGHT! Enjoy! :=)

******

The battlefield was as frozen still as the South Pole or Villengard had been as the Doctors helped the Captain climb down into the bomb crater.

"Thank you," he said as he reached the bottom "thank you all. You've all been most kind given the circumstances"

"I regret, Captain," the First Doctor began "but, life rarely turns out to be like a fairytale"

" _When time resumes, you will not remember this,_ " Helen Clay's glass avatar stated " _a preception filter will also render us invisble_ "

"Yes...," the Captain said slowly "one imagines that some of those words were attached to actual meanings," he took a breath "there is one more thing you could do for me," he began "if you're very kind?"

"Yes, of course," the First Doctor nodded "name it"

"My wife," the Captian began "if you could...look in on her from time to time?"

"I would be most delighted," the First Doctor nodded "what's the name?"

"Lethbridge-Stewart," he answered, earning a small gasp from Rose "Archibald Hamish Lethbridge-Stewart"

"I will make it my personal garuntee" the First Doctor nodded.

"You can count him on that" The Doctor added.

"Thank you so so much" Captian Lethbridge-Stewart nodded. He took a breath "I think I'm ready now" he breathed as he calmly drew his pistol and eased down to sit against the crater's edge.

With a rippling wave, time resumed.

"Cold, isn't it?"

His finger tightened on the trigger as he thumbed the hammer back.

"I suppose that it's about to get colder for one of us" he added.

"Doctor?" Rose looked around "what's the sound?"

Slowly, the sounds of gunfire stopped, replaced by a new sound, the soft strains of singing.

"I say," Archibald Lethbridge-Stewart slowly blinked "it that...singing?" he asked. Slowly, his grip on his pistol losened "is that...Christmas carols?" he asked.

The singing suddenly stopped, silence returning. Suddenly, a solider in the British trenches craned his head up.

" _Silent night,_ " he sang out " _holy night..._ "

Slowly, one by one, others joined in, some in English, some in German, but all singing. Suddenly, soliders began to stand up, waving tattered white flags as, one by one, they began to climb out onto no man's land.

"If I've gotten my timing's right," The Doctor began "and clearly I have, we're at the begining. A few hours, a few days ago, it wouldn't have made any difference, but this is Christmas, 1914, and a human miracle is about to take place,"

He slowly grinned at Rose.

"The Christmas Armistice," he explained as soliders began to climb out the trenches, greeting each other calmly, cheerfully even, while down in the bomb crater, Captain Lethbridge-Stewart holstered his pistol and, drawing a whistle from his pocket, blew on it.

"Wounded man here!" he called "wounded man!"

"It never happened again," The Doctor continued "any war, any where. Except, once, a very long time ago, everyone just put their weapons down and started to sing. Everyone was just...kind"

"You...," the First Doctor looked between the two of them "you saved him" he exclaimed.

"Both of them," The Doctor nodded "never hurts, a few less people on the battlefield"

"You were right, you know," Rose remarked "life isn't like a fairytale," she grinned at him "but that's where we come in"

Chuckling, the First Doctor smiled at her.

"So...this is what it means to be a Doctor of War" he mused...

******

The truce continued well into the evening hours, as the sun dipped low into the sky, the air now filled with laughter and more carols as some men kicked a rather lopsided ball around, while others exchanged simple gifts and trinkets.

Standing by their TARDISes, the Doctors smiled and gently shook hands, a familar shimmer of golden regeneration energy shimmering at the contact.

"I think I'm ready now," the First Doctor remarked quietly "the question is...are you?"

The Doctor smirked.

"You'll find out," he promised "the long way round"

The First Doctor smiled.

"Whatever you decide," he began "I wish you good luck...Doctor"

"Good luck, Doctor"

"And, to you Miss. Tyler," the First Doctor turned to her "I wish you very best, whatever his decision may be, I trust that you will continue to remain....remarkable"

He leaned in, giving her a gentle, chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Doctor" she whispered as she pulled back. Stepping back to stand by The Doctor, she waved softly as the First Doctor entered his TARDIS and took off, the blue box fading away...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The real Christmas truce actually took place in various 'pockets' all along the Western Front in the days leading up to the 25th. The famous truce on Christmas Day, 1914 was unofficial, and roughly 100,000 British and German troops took part, Brigadier-General Walter Congreve of the 18 Infantry Brigade described one of his captains sharing a cigar with "one of the best shots in the German Army" who was no older than eighteen years old, although the General himself was reluctant to take part for fear of becoming a target to German snipers.
> 
> Captain Sir Edward Hulse described a sing-along which ended with Auld Lane Syne, adding that it was 'astounding" and if he had seen it on film he would have sworn it was faked.
> 
> Another captain, Robert Patrick Miles described in a letter to the Daily Mail how, during the early morning hours of the 25th, the Germans began shouting 'Merry Christmas, Englishman', he also wrote, in the same letter, that to the left and right of where he and his comrades were, the fighting was still going on.
> 
> Most historians debate whether or not the soldiers actually played football during the truce, with most agreeing that there may have been 'kick around' matches with improvised balls. Even so, it still makes a nice image.
> 
> Sadly, the tradition didn't carry through next Christmas of 1915, partly due to strong orders from the higher ups forbidding truces on both sides. And by 1916, the idea had been abandoned entirely after the devastating losses in the Somme and use of poison gas attacks.


	9. Battlefield

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter NINE! We're almost done here folks, so enjoy! :=)

******

The Doctor absently rubbed his hands together, breathing on them to warm them as he drew his tattered coat tighter around himself. If he was Human he could lie to himself and say that it was the cold air, but he wasn't Human and it wasn't the air.

A shadow quietly passed over him.

"You all right?" Rose asked softly as she stood over him.

Looking up, he stiffly pushed himself up off the crate he was sitting on.

"Shall we go for one last stroll, Miss. Tyler?" he wondered.

Hand in hand, fingers tightly laced together, they walked aimlessly around no man's land.

"You know what the hardest part about knowing you is?" Rose suddenly wondered.

"My superior intelligence? No? My bedazzling charisma? Oh," he tugged at his tattered coat "my impeccable dress sense"

Rose rolled her eyes and swatted him in the arm.

"Letting you go," she explained softly "letting go of The Doctor is... _so_ , so, so, so hard" she breathed.

He said nothing to that, merely nodded.

"What did they tell you?" he asked instead "Testimony, how'd they convince you that they weren't a threat?"

In answer, Rose leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. As she pulled away another glass avatar appeared.

" _Clara..._ " The Doctor breathed.

"Merry Christmas, Doctor," Clara's glass avatar smiled "you stupid old man"

The Doctor looked between her and Rose.

"You're back," he realized, a smile slowly spreading across his face "you're in my head...all my memories of you...are back"

"Not everything is an evil plan" Rose reminded him with a soft smile

"Now don't you go forgetting me again," Clara warned "because, quite frankly, that was offensive" she joked as a second glass avatar appeared.

"I know what you're thinking: where is she?" the second figure cocked a hand on her hip "hello, sweetie"

"When you're dying you're entitled to think that your day can't possibly get any worse," The Doctor sighed good-naturedly "hello, River," he sighed "now you're both here. How does that work now?" he wondered.

"We can be anyone," Clara shrugged "we _are_ everyone" she added.

"Not a bad likeness, eh?" River remarked "mind you, I think they got my hair wrong"

"How can you tell?" Clara asked, nodding up at River's mop of curls

"I've got a suggestion for you," River remarked, returning her attention to The Doctor "don't die," she stated fimrly "because, if you do, I think the whole universe might just go cold"

"It's not just about you or about Rose," Clara added "it's you and Rose, _together_ "

The Doctor sighed tiredly as he looked between them all.

"Can't I rest?" he wondered "can't I ever have peace?"

"Of course" Rose nodded sadly.

"It's your choice," Clara nodded "we understand"

"No you don't," he sighed "none of you do," he nodded at River and Clara "especially you two, you're not even real, you're jsut memeories, held in glass," he shook his head "you know how many of you I could fill? I would shatter you," he breathed "I would shatter all of you, a life as long as mine is like this," he gestured to the barren landscape around them "it's a battlefield,"

"My tesitmony would shatter all of you," he repeated softly as he looked between the three women sadly "thank you," he whispered "thank you all, for everything you've been to me, but what I have to do now...I have to do alone,"

All smiling sadly, the three woman crowded around him, all pulling him into a firece embrace. With two musical chimes, River and Clara's glass avatars vanished, leaving him holding Rose.

Slowly pulling away, he smiled bittersweetly at her as Captain Lethbridge-Stewart came into view. He frowned at the two of them, clearly recognizing them in some way even if he didn't know why.

Straightening up, he gave them both a salute.

Both nodding in reply, Rose and The Doctor raised the tin cups in their hands in a silent toast as the Captain turned away, going back to the festivities.

Setting his cup down on a crate, The Doctor sighed as he looked around

"Time to leave the battlefield" he remarked softly...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more to go :=)


	10. Be Kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, the final chapter of "Thrice Upon a Time". Please enjoy! :=)

******

The TARDIS hummed as it took off, leaving the battlefield of World War I. Stepping back from the console, The Doctor glanced over at where Rose now sat on one of the stairs leading up the second level, head bowed, blonde hair obscuring her features as her hands flexed nerviously.

Sensing his gaze, she looked up, smiling weakly, bittersweetly, at him.

Turning away guiltily, he swung the scanner over.

"Oh, there it is, Rose," he remarked "silly old universe. Everytime I save it, the more it needs saving. Like a tredmil,"

The TARDIS hummed, the room's lights flashing insistently.

"Yes," he sighed "yes, I know, they'll get it all wrong without me,"

He sighed heavily, looking over at Rose, smiling softly at her.

"Well...," he began "I suppose... _one_ more lifetime won't kill anyone," he remarked "well...except me," he added, earning a weak chuckle from Rose. He could feel a new consciousness edging it's way forward at the back of his mind, but it was still unformed, raw.

"Right," he spun on his heel "you wait a moment, Rose Tyler. You too, Doctor. Let's get this right," he declared as he climbed the stairs to the upper level, rounding the circumference of the room.

"I've got a few things to say to you. Basic stuff first," he added "never be crul, never be cowardly. And never ever eat pears!" he added, earning a half-laugh from Rose as she watched him.

"Remember," he continued "hate is always foolish, and love is always wise," he slowly descended to the bottom level, passing Rose as it he did.

"Always _try_ to be nice, but never _fail_ to be kind," he continued "oh. And, you must never tell anyone your name. No one would understand it anyway,"

He paused, smirking at Rose.

"Well...almost no one," he added. He gasped as his legs gave out, feeling Rose's arms grab onto him, gently easing him to the floor. Reaching up, he gripped the console, pulling himself up.

"But no one else," he added "never anyone else,"

Pulling himself up to his full height, he locked eyes with Rose, watching the tears silently roll down her face.

" _Doctor...,_ " he breathed " _...I let you go..._ "

Taking a final breath, he closed his eyes as his form exploded into golden light....

******

Rose winced as she slowly uncurled from the protective ball that she'd rolled into. For a moment, the room was silent save only for the humming of the TARDIS,

Lifting her head, eyes still trying to adjust from the blinding light of the regeneration, she blinked as she saw The Doctor's wedding ring slip from his hand to fall to the floor, rolling over towards her.

Without really thinking, she reached out, hurriedly scooping the ring up as she shakily climbed to her feet, slowly approaching The Doctor, shakily reaching out.

Slowly, The Doctor shifted, blonde hair shifting as they turned towards her.

" _Doctor...?_ " Rose felt her jaw go slack in surprise as she took in the new form before her.

The Doctor frowned, turning back to the console, reaching out to swing the scanner over, examing the reflection. Reaching up with smaller hands to cup a rounder face before looking up at Rose

"You're...," Rose tried "you're...a woman" she exclaimed.

The new Doctor grinned at her.

"Oh...brilliant" she beamed.

Suddenly a shower of sparks exploded from the console, the TARDIS suddenly violently lurching, sending both women to the floor.

Sparks exploded from the ceiling, the TARDIS doors flying open, revealing dark, heavy clouds, the wind pulling everything that wasn't nailed down out as the TARDIS suddenly titled vilontly, the open doors now facing 'down'.

Both gasping, Rose and The Doctor frantically clawed at the grating on the floor, struggling to find something to hold on to.

Reaching out, they clung to the console desperately, Rose briefly loosing her grip, but succeeding in grabbing onto The Doctor's coat.

"Hold on, Rose!" The Doctor yelled just as the console broke apart with a tremendous explosion, the entire console room bursting into flames as the two women tumbled through the air, falling out the TARDIS into inky black clouds, watching as the burning TARDIS dematerialized.

Leaving them to fall to earth...

**END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins! :=). Well that's it folks, the end of this little prequel, I hope you all had fun with it, and thanks for reading and commenting, and leaving kudos and general support. Stay tuned for an update to "Lucky Thirteen" coming soon to an archive near you :=).
> 
> Thanks again :=)
> 
> \--AXEe :=)

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


End file.
